[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6461. Mr. HICKENLOOPER submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, 
for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department 
of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal 
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 587. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY TO ELIMINATE THE 70TH 
                   FLYING TRAINING SQUADRON OF THE UNITED STATES 
                   AIR FORCE ACADEMY.

       (a) Limitation.--The Secretary of the Air Force may not 
     perform a covered action regarding the 70th Flying Training 
     Squadron of the USAFA until 180 days after the day that the 
     Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees a 
     report described in subsection (b).
       (b) Report.--A report described in this subsection is a 
     report on covered action regarding the 70th Flying Training 
     Squadron of USAFA. Such a report includes the following 
     elements:
       (1) An assessment of the effect of such covered action on 
     the capacity to train cadets at USAFA, including the number 
     of cadets so affected annually.
       (2) A plan to maintain capacity described in paragraph (1) 
     provided by the 70th Flying Training Squadron, including the 
     retention of advanced mission sets, simulator training, and 
     evaluator pilot functions.
       (3) An analysis of alternatives to such covered action, 
     including the reallocation of chronically vacant billets 
     within Air Force Reserve Command.
       (4) An assessment of the cost differential between 
     continued operation of the 70th Flying Training Squadron, 
     replacement of its functions by active-duty personnel, and 
     replacement of its functions by contracted support.
       (5) A plan to preserve the institutional knowledge and 
     instructional capacity currently provided by aviators 
     assigned to the 70th Flying Training Squadron or equivalent 
     capability.
       (6) A plan to sustain the 70th Flying Training Squadron 
     until the date specified in subsection (a).
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``covered action'' includes eliminating, 
     deactivating, defunding, reducing the number of personnel, 
     and reducing the number of aircraft.
       (2) The term ``USAFA'' means the United States Air Force 
     Academy.
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